Windows Phone 8 Update 3: Update Your Handset Today!

Following this morning's announcement about Windows Phone 8 Update 3, Microsoft has made the RTM version of the update available publically through its developer programs. But Update 3 can be installed by anyone who wants it now. So here's a guide to the update process.

First, some important caveats

Don't even consider installing Update 3 until you've considered these issues.

Remember, Windows Phone 8 Update 3 is primarily aimed at new 5- to 6-inch "phablet" devices with 1080p screens. So check out the full feature list in my Windows Phone 8 Update 3 Preview post before even considering installing this update.

Update 3 requires that your handset already be updated to GDR2, the previous update. That's most phones, of course, but it's good to know.

Installing Update 3 may void your wireless carrier warranty. If you have a brand new phone, that's something to consider before diving in.

You cannot go back. Once you install Update 3 in this fashion, you cannot return to GDR2 or previous Windows Phone versions. You will later be able to update to the general release of Update 3, which will probably include firmware and driver updates too, or later updates.

Finally, the version of Update 3 described here includes only Microsoft's code. It does not include any device firmware or driver updates that may accompany the future, public release of his update.

Sign up as a developer

Technically, Update 3 is only available to those who have registered their Microsoft account—the same one you've signed in with on the phone—with one of Microsoft's developer programs. These include the Windows Phone Dev Center ($19 per year) or the free App Studio, which lets you create simple Windows Phone apps on the web. Since App Studio is free, head over there first, sign in with the same Microsoft account you used to sign in on your Windows Phone handset, and then register. That's all you have to do.

Download the Preview for Developers app

Now, download the Preview for Developers app from the Windows Phone Store to your handset. You can do this remotely, from your PC's web browser, or directly from the browser on your phone.

Run Preview for Developers

Once the app is installed, find it on your phone and run it. The app will step through a short wizard that explains what's happening, provides a Terms and Conditions document you must agree to, and a sign-in for your Microsoft account. Once that's all done, you agree to enable the Preview for Developers and click Done to complete the process.

Check for updates

Now, navigate on your phone to Settings, Phone Update and tap the Check for Updates button to begin the process of installing Update 3.

Download and install Update 3

Phone Update will automatically find Update 3 and begin downloading the update. When that's done, it will prompt you to install the update now. This requires a reboot.

During the update process, you will see the familiar "install gears" screen on the device, which indicates that something wonderful is happening.

This process should take 10 minutes or so, and after a second reboot, Windows Phone will migrate your data back much as what happens when you upgrade from one version of desktop Windows to another.

When that's complete, you'll be told that the update is all done and you can return to the Start screen.

You can ensure that the update installed correctly by navigating to Settings, About, tapping the More button and checking the phone version number: It should now read 8.0.10512.142.

Should you do this?

If you have to ask, probably not. But if you like living on the edge—and, to be fair, Update 3 is done, this isn't a beta version—and simply can't stand not waiting, it's proven to be reliable and error free for me so far. But understand that any phone update process like this certainly comes with some risk.

This is a bit unfair. This update includes the changes I wrote about. Let's not act surprised that it doesn't do other things too. Maybe now that they can work around the carriers a bit, we'll see more updates.

The ability for enthusiast users to bypass carriers and upgrade their phones is a huge step for Windows Phone, especially since the platform (by necessity as much as metaphor) focuses the user experience around built-in features rather than apps. Keeping those built-in experiences up to date is even more essential.

(OK I'll retract my grumble about the 520 since the GDR2 update HAS arrived on Saturday but I was too busy falling off a scooter to notice. I look forward to trying out Driving Mode. And WiFi during Setup is needed I messed up my Xbox Live settings because this didn't exist!)

Strange.. Mine update till version 8.0.10492.116, don't know why the other 2 (...328.78 and ..512.142) were not part of the list.
Update:.. in the end, I see the correct number (...10512.142) though. I was secretly wishing I could see 3 rows of icons though. Ah well, I love it anyway

Thanks Paul for the info. Update installed and is running as advertised on my 920. The added feature of tapping on an X to close an App worked. Obviously other features need to be tested, but my own two apps are running seamlessly. Nice job Microsoft!

i love that they are calling it "preview for developers", instead of enthusiast program, or something like that. i bet they did this so the carriers cant bitch.they are allowing free app studio users to install it after all, wink wink.

Installed and running on GDR3 which provides a big update with the new app switcher changes. It is very nice to just hit the X in the app switcher to close a running application instead of going back into the app and hitting back however many times needed to close the app.

It has been clear for months that two updates were coming, GDR2, which to be honest was the weightier of the two for features and of course was tied for 90% of the Windows Phone community to Amber.

GDR3 is likely to bring support to devices to appear within days, primarily larger form devices. And just because these items, seemingly few, are in the fore doesn't mean that there is not a lot of tuning and updating to the system itself, invisible to most of us.

No the long wait. And with all the rumors swirling about 8.1 "Blue" we can speculate away on the final form of the notifications center and other goodies, as well as the greater integration with the OS Formerly Known as RT.

I signed up for the developer account, went to the store on my 520 and there's no sign of the "Preview for Developers" app. If I install it from the web store it says "Contacting your phone", followed by "should begin downloading in a moment", but nothing is happening on the phone.

This whole thing begs a huge question. Why not just deliver all MS phone updates in this way for everyone and separate out the carrier's firmware/driver updates for when the carrier is ready? Let that be how things are done going forward. Am I missing something here Paul? Are firmware and driver updates a critical sub or superset to software updates? With my Surface Pro (which I love) I get software and firmware updates separately. Each are important but are not always delivered at the same time necessarily. The firmware updates do however seem more critical. I think that the ability to choose event tones for new emails and text messages etc. is a good thing especially considering the last phone update changed each of those sounds to something similar but different without any asking or even listing the previous sounds that I had gotten used to!

I put it on my 920 with no problems. I was hoping I'd get the option to see more tiles on the home screen, but maybe that's just not going to be available on the 920, or maybe it will require a firmware update from Nokia to enable it.

And we get to look forward to the third WP platform change in four years with 8.1? Does that mean all the apps available for 8 will be incompatible with WP 8.1? I keep looking for the long-term investment argument and it doesn't help to learn that WP 8.1 is going to come out in 9-12 months to turn everything on its head again. I'm no Apple fanboy but my all my wife's iPhones have always run all her apps. Will 2016 bring an entirely new bright idea to make us throw away all our apps again? Ridiculous.

Unfortunately for me Paul you are correct in saying that this process requires GDR2.
I just tried on my HTC 8x, which we know HTC cancelled the rollout of gdr2 for, and I get a message saying “Only Phones with OS versions newer than or equal to 8.0.10322.71 can enrol in the Windows Phone Preview for Developers program.”
Disappointing there isn’t a way to circumvent the install of the gdr2 update but it is what it is. I guess I should have bought a Nokia.

Hi. I installed it on my Lumia 920 and it worked perfectly. Everything is working perfectly, including (unfortunately) WhatsApp. Are you on the latest version of WhatsApp, ManuCH? Maybe you can try going to WhatsApp in the store and see if there isn't an update available.

Finally I can get the gdr when it suits me and at my own risk. My phone is now my PC.

Big thanks to MS for doing the right thing and allowing the users to choose. Big thanks to Paul for making it an option though the publicity.

GDR2 solved many of the bugs and I was finally satisfied with Windows Phone 8. GDR3 is now in the excelling phase and I feel well served.
Feels like MS has got it's mojo back a bit here. They can do it.

Thank you Microsoft, thank you Paul. Why can't all updates be this easy? 920 installed perfectly and am enjoying the new features less than a week after having installed GDR2. Knowing AT&T, it would have been mid-December, early January till they pushed this out. Side note, now my wife can stop complaining about screen rotation on her phone.

I wish I could tell you. The theory is that such phones should get these updates first, since no one is blocking the release. That is very clearly NOT what happens. And I've never seen an adequate explanation of why and what really does happen. Sorry.